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The conversion of biomass to value-added chemicals using catalysis is a promising technology for the next decade. In this study, Chlorella sorokinianawas investigated as a low-cost biomass source for producing 5-HMF. The microalga was grown under sustainable conditions, and its biomass was treated with non-precious metal catalysts, including FeCl3, AlCl3, SnCl3, and ZiOCl2.8H2O. The results showed that AlCl3was the most effective catalyst, yielding up to 65.78 ± 7.2%, while ZrOCl2 and FeCl3 did not produce any HMF, and only a small amount was observed with SnCl4. The reaction was carried out at 100 °C for 120 min, using 7.5 mol% of AlCl3in a DMSO reaction system. The study proposed a mechanism for the formation of HMF from biomass using AlCl3as the catalyst and noted the positive effect of DMSO on HMF formation. These findings suggest that microalgae biomass could be a cheap and sustainable source for producing green compounds using AlCl3as a catalyst.

Pre-treatment of lignocellulosic biomass is an inevitable step toward value-added green chemicals. There are various modes of pre-treatment method that exist with their own pros and cons. The present study focused on the utilization of the shell of groundnut as lignocellulosic biomass material. The groundnut shell has no use after the collection of nuts from it. Preliminary characterization of groundnut shell was also conducted which showed it has 48.2% cellulose and hemicellulose; the lignin content was found to be 48.67%. The ash content of the biomass was around 3.13%. The lignin content of the biomass was considered as the target response for the pre-treatment process and butanol was used as an organic solvent for the pre-treatment process. The experimental study developed a quadratic model for the entire process with respect to the change in the lignin profile within the design criteria. The study also conducted raw and pre-treated biomass characterization using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The study revealed that the maximum amount of lignin removed was 48.67% lignin.

Protease enzymes are extensively utilized in several industries ranging from pharmaceutical, food, biotechnology, cosmetics, leather, textile, dairy, and allied sectors. However, Plant rennet is in high demand in food and dairy industry due to several ethical, religious, and environmental causes. Jackfruit, pumpkin, and lotus seed extracts were tested for their milk clotting activities and found to have maximum milk clotting activity 2400MCU at their respective optimum conditions. Due to higher MCA milk curd were also tested for their potential use and found suitable for cheese preparation. Cottage cheese was prepared from all the plant extracts and for sensory analysis a panel of thirty volunteers were offered the sample and given the overall higher acceptability scores. In this view, more work is required, however an overall sensory acceptance suggested that these plant extracts can be used as an alternative to the animal rennet in dairy industry.

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are biopolymers, composed of polysaccharides, nucleic acids, proteins and lipids, which possess unique functional properties. Despite significant strides made in chemical production processes for polymers, the niche occupied by exopolysaccharides produced by bacteria, yeast or algae is steadily growing in its importance. With the availability of modern tools, a lot of information has been generated on the physico-chemical and biological properties using spectrometric tools, while advanced microscopic techniques have provided valuable insights into the structural–functional aspects. The size of EPS generally ranges between 10 and 10,000 kDa. The wide spectra of applications of EPS as adhesives, stabilizer, gelling, suspending, thickening agent, and surfactants in food and pharmaceutical industries are observed. The health benefits of these EPS enable the improvement of dual function, added value, and green products. This review summarizes previous work on the structural composition, rheological and thermal behaviour, and biosynthetic pathways of EPS and bioprocesses developed for their production. This review also considers each of the above factors and presents the current knowledge on the importance and refinement of available downstream protocols and genetic engineering towards specific food applications, which can help to diversify their prospects in different food and allied industries.